


may the moon carry me home

by ElopeToTheSea



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Blacksmith Riku, Fantasy, Fluff, M/M, Mythical Beings & Creatures, Rain, Short & Sweet, Spells & Enchantments, Witch Sora
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-06
Updated: 2019-10-06
Packaged: 2020-11-25 16:54:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,515
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20915423
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElopeToTheSea/pseuds/ElopeToTheSea
Summary: There was a rumor traveling through the corners of the village. One that perhaps was a childish threat to keep kids out of forests, but it had fascinated Riku for as long as he could remember.The legend of the witch.





	may the moon carry me home

There was a rumor traveling through the corners of the village. One that perhaps was a childish threat to keep kids out of forests, but it had fascinated Riku for as long as he could remember.

“There are witches in the woods,” they’d say through hushed whispers. “They’ll curse you if they see you, and never return you home! They’ll eat your heart out and then feed you to the wolves.”

At first, it had been wonder. Not towards the legend itself, but what it meant. What it tried to say. That beyond what he could see, beyond the village he had always thought of as a home, there was more. Witches and wolves, danger but also adventure. Could he fight them? Maybe if he found a sword, he could defeat the witch and tame the fearsome wolf.

That summer he spent hours looking for a sword. He never did find a real one, but his mom got him one made out of wood in attempts to keep him from wandering too far off into the forest. It worked, for about as close as two minutes.

Then, there was contempt. Or at least, the illusion of it. As he grew up, the rest of the kids began mocking the legend.

‘_It’s made up_,’ was what they said. ‘_Only kids believe in that stuff!_’

Silently, Riku set aside the make-belief tales. The dreams of adventures. The image of a witch and a wolf, ready to eat him up. The wooden sword that had accompanied for so long, heft childish in his hands.

At least, until curiosity settled in.

What if it was real? What if the tales he had heard for so long were true? What ifs. Endless in his mind as he wandered through the edges of the woods. And through the distance, if he squinted, he felt like he could see it. A witch, hidden away in between the trees and the bushes. Wicked grin, waiting for a naïve child to wander off the path. To reach her grasp and devour their hearts.

The forest called for him. In his veins, the blood burnt to explore. Beyond the edges, beyond the safe zone. Beyond the little cabin were the last remains of his town resided. An itch he could never scratch, as he sat on the logs, admiring the expanse of the infinite forest.

He knew what he wanted.

And what he wanted, was hidden deep into the foliage of the trees and roses that grew outside his home. It awaited for him in the forest.

It would have been easy to just cross the line and never turn back. Sometimes, when the anxiety of the village trapped him, he was tempted to do it. But most of the times, a hidden fear kept him from committing to it.

Because if the legends were really true - if the witch outside the village really did live in the forest – the chances of him getting far away were close to none. He never found the real sword he’d needed to defeat her. So, he never ventured too far. Although the longing for adventure never left him

Soon, all that was left was hope. And perhaps, that’s all he’d ever have if it hadn’t been for that night.

A thundering storm, unlike any other they had seen. With rain pouring down from the sky like a cascade of an angry river. You couldn’t go anywhere without getting drenched, and the entire town had come to a full stop. No one dared set a foot outside, the fear of sickness too big for anyone to risk it.

“The Gods are angry,” the rumors that spread quickly through them, said. “They’re sending their anger to us!”

Riku doubted it. Preferred to ignore them, and instead hide away in his house. After his mother had passed away when he was seventeen, he was the only one to live in it. Now, as he turned twenty, the little cabin seemed in equal parts bigger and smaller. He had outgrown his childhood home but felt powerless to leave. Trapped, and at the same time not. Bound by the invisible force of a duty that was no longer there.

But that’s how things had always been. Who was he to change it?

With the pouring rain outside his window, Riku decided it would be a good idea to make soup. Thankfully, there were still some dry logs to turn on a fire. He threw some spices into the small pot, hoping it would taste good enough to eat with the left-over meat he had from days prior.

He moved the chair next to the fire, enjoying the soft warmth that it gave him. Riku went to grab the book he had been reading and sat down. A loud sigh escaped him. He let his body relax against the wooden chair, and he began reading his book.

Maybe it was childish for him to continue reading about witches. Many had said so. But he preferred not to listen to those who said it. In the peace of his home, he found the stories more interesting than anything he had ever heard about. Adventures, like the ones he had dreamed of as a kid. It was reassuring to find stories that satiated his ever-growing curiosity for the now old-fashioned legend.

By the time the water began boiling, Riku was falling asleep. With the soft sound of the rain hitting the windows and the exhaustion that reigned his body from working all day, he was slowly succumbing to the slumber spell.

But just as he was about to completely close his eyes, a loud banging sound came from the door. Riku was startled awake, jumping out of his seat and staring out the window.

It was still pouring.

The banging on the door continued on, louder with every minute. Riku wasn’t in the mood to deal with it but leaving it alone didn’t seem like an option. Begrudgingly, he made his way towards the wooden door and opened it.

His breath was immediately taken away.

“Please, help me!”

Riku fumbled out of the way, to let the boy in. A relieved expression overtook the smaller one, who was quick to rush inside. As soon as he was safely away from the rain, the boy dropped to the floor, exhausted in a puddle of soaked clothes.

“Thank you so much…” the boy said, sighing loudly. His hands went to unclasp the button of the cloak that surrounded him like a river of red hues. “I was running around for hours!”

The hood was lowered, letting the mess of drenched brown hair show. Then he turned around.

Riku had seen the little specks of brown dancing in the dark when he had opened the door. But underneath the warm light of the cabin’s candlelight, it was impossible to miss how _pretty_ they were. It didn’t help that the smile the stranger was shooting him was blinding. Kind and full of a cheerfulness Riku hadn’t met before. Looking away was beyond his control.

It was the sound of thunder that snapped him out of the sight. A quick blink, had him finally realizing what had happened.

He let a stranger inside of his home.

Even more bizarre;

“What were you doing out there in this weather?” Riku asked, a frown overrunning his features, turning towards the window. Just like before, all he could see was water running down the sky.

The boy gave a soft nervous smile, as he stood up. The soaked cloak in his arms, holding it tight against his chest. He shifted in his place, trying to look at anywhere but Riku.

“…It’s complicated,” he said.

Under normal circumstances, that would have been a red flag for Riku. More than enough for him to kick out the stranger out.

However, the closer he looked at the boy, the more he realized he was…harmless. A petite body that likely wouldn’t be able to lift anything particularly heavy. The only thing he carried was a pouch that seemed mostly empty. In fact, the only way this boy could be dangerous, Riku realized, was if he was carrying a light blade. And such a frail creature wielding it…Riku could defend himself without much problem. His semi-stable job at the blacksmith had given him the strength to fend off more than a few stray bandits that came by. Taking care of the boy wouldn’t be too difficult if push came to show. 

He sighed.

“Do you need anything?” Riku asked.

“Just a place to stay the night!” the boy said. “O-or just until the rain passes! I can help around if you need. I’m fairly good at remedies and-”

“Alright,” Riku said, taking the book off his chair and reaching to the couch. “As soon as the sun comes out, you leave.”

“Thank you!” the boy beamed. Riku tried not to focus on how cute the stranger looked and went to sit down.

Logically, he knew that he shouldn’t fall asleep. There was a stranger in his house, and who knows what he could do.

But the job had tired him out, the sound of rain was calming, and the boy was sitting on the chair Riku had preciously, staring at the fire. The longer he tried to open his eyes, the easier it was to close them.

He fell asleep without wanting to.

* * *

This had been a bad idea. Sora knew it had.

In an ideal world, the spell to make the person inside the cabin believe he was an old distant relative would have worked.

But then again, in an ideal world, rain wouldn’t pour down when he was trying to escape the witch hunters from the nearby village. He’s pretty sure he missed them, after all, they were _convinced_ witches melted with water, so that was one relief off his back. Maybe he should run off while the stranger was asleep. Find another place where the people would think of him as family and not danger and would claim he isn’t a witch if people came running saying he was.

Yeah, that would be the smart idea. The _good_ idea.

Sora sighed, eye drifting to the man who was asleep on the couch. The man who, despite not knowing Sora, had opened the door and let him in.

His cheeks flushed and he looked away immediately. The beating of his heart was loud and clear, for a minute worrying Sora that it would wake up the stranger. He had to pull himself together! He couldn’t be falling for the man! This was supposed to be a quick stay. Once the rain stopped, he had to leave the village.

He couldn’t stay. He never could.

The familiar pressure of loneliness weighted in his chest. He tore his eyes away from the stranger, hoping it would leave him if he did. It didn’t.

But it did allow him to watch the pot over the fire burbling over. Completely forgetting about the promise not to touch anything, Sora got up and checked.

He stared at the pot with curiosity, unsure of what to think about it. Was this…supposed to be soup? Sure, it looked and smelt like it but this was so…simple. A dash of salt and pepper, with meat scattered at the bottom.

It wouldn’t hurt if he…?

Without missing a beat, Sora reached for his pouch. There was not much he carried around. A few ingredients for food and spices that he had collected from the high mountains. He rummaged through the cabinets, glad to find a few old herbs. They were still fresh, letting out a delicious fragrance when Sora opened the jars.

“_Incendit_.” The red burning fire turned a sweet soft orange with the whisper of the witch. The boiling water died down a bit, allowing Sora to begin working.

Chopped onions, a bit of garlic. Sora hummed, as the warmth and earthy smell began traveling through the cabin. Fingers dashed a bit of cumin, hoping it would alleviate the tiredness that seemed to haunt the stranger. A pinch of dried chili to add color, and a bit of oregano to bring out the flavor. Mixing it all together, a soft sigh escaped Sora. It smelt good.

With the fire at just the right temperature, Sora let it simmer. He tossed a quick glance at the floor, noting that it was drenched in water. His fault…Where was the mop? And now that he took a look around, the entire place was incredibly dusty.

A smile on his face, Sora reached for the broom and started cleaning.

* * *

Riku was woken up by the sound of distant singing, and the smell of homemade food. Both things he had forgotten what they felt like but welcomed in his half-asleep state. The soft singing voice was muted slightly by the rain still outside. Almost distant, a lullaby he had dreamed.

As he slowly opened his eyes, he was met with a dash of red that moved like water in the air. It came to a halt when brown eyes stared at him.

“You’re awake!” the boy beamed, quick to let the broom fall to the ground. “I was beginning to worry you’d sleep through the entire storm.”

That wouldn’t bee ideal. Riku stared around, confused.

“How long was I asleep?” he asked.

“Not much, but you almost missed dinner,” Sora said with a laugh.

That’s when Riku realized the pleasant smell that floated, was from the pot he had set over the fire. He didn’t remember it smelling _this_ good. Had the stranger done something to it?

His stomach growled. Did he care? Not really. He was starving, and the smell was good enough to drool. So, he took out the bowls he had tucked away. There weren’t many, seeing as he and his mother had been the only ones to ever use them, but they’d do.

Riku served the food, glad to see it was still warm. The fire hadn’t gone out when he was sleeping, which was a surprise. Not even awake was he able to control the flames so carefully. He guessed the stranger had tended to them while he slept. For that, he was grateful.

They sat at the dinner table. Riku watched as the stranger ate first, without flinching once. It had to be good if he didn’t hesitate to eat it, right? He brought the spoon to his lips and winced.

It was spicy. But so _good_.

Just the broth was delicious to drink. The right amount of spicy and salty, meat tender and easy to bite into. It had been a while since Riku had eaten with so much gusto.

“You fixed it,” Riku pointed out.

“I just added a few spices,” the boy replied with a nervous smile. “Anyone could have done it!”

Riku, for one, couldn’t have.

“I don’t think I caught your name,” he said, setting the empty bowl down.

“I…didn’t think it was necessary,” the boy said, eyes looking down. His smile turned sad, for a split of second, before beaming back towards Riku. “It’s Sora!”

“Riku,” he replied.

“Riku,” Sora repeated, a soft smile on his lips as he pronounced it. “Thank you for letting me stay here, Riku.”

“Well, thank you for helping me out with dinner,” Riku replied with a laugh. “It’s the best meal I’ve had in a while.”

The words were enough to light up Sora’s face. His brown eyes shimmered with starlight caught between lashes. He looked beautiful with the warm glow of the fire, and Riku was sure his face was as red as Sora’s cloak.

* * *

The rain continued for a few more hours. Hours which Riku spent chatting with Sora, mostly about inconsequential things. Sora explained to him that he was a traveler. He’d gone far and wide, climbing mountains and exploring caves. The small boy claimed to have seen almost every sight there was.

“Are you searching for anything in particular?” Riku asked after Sora had finished telling him about a mountain so high it was thought to reach the sky. Not that it did, according to Sora’s tale.

“I mean, nothing other than a home,” Sora replied.

“What do you mean?” Riku asked. “You don’t have a home?”

The soft way Sora’s eyes lost its shine didn’t go unmissed by Riku. A sudden urge to protect the petite frame of the boy overtook Riku like no other. It only grew when Sora tried to give a reassuring smile that did not quite reach his eyes.

“I’m not…really welcomed back home,” Sora confessed. He played with his finger, nervously. “And other places are…wary of newcomers.”

They really were. Not a lot of travelers came to that particular village, but the few that had…Riku still remembered how little time they had stayed. The rest of the townsfolk weren’t exactly welcoming. Always throwing side glances; judging. Waiting for them to turn out to be thieves, or even worse.

And while it was hard for Riku to think anyone would be wary of _Sora_, who was so small and friendly, it wasn’t a stretch to believe it happened.

“You could stay here,” Riku offered before he could stop himself. “Maybe you can fit here.”

The sparkle behind Sora’s eyes was easy to miss. But it was there. Gently lighting up chocolate eyes that had previously been swallowed by shadows and shame. For a moment, it filled Riku’s chest with hope.

He could grow used to this. Delicious soup and someone to come home to. A red hooded presence that shone like the sun. A nice chat with tea served. A bit of life, thrown into his monotone and caged life.

But as soon as the sparkle appeared, it died again.

“I would love to but-,” Sora said. _But_. There was a but. “I don’t think I belong here either.”

“Oh,” Riku said, defected, looking down.

“I meant the village!” Sora was quick to add. His eyes wide in desperation. “I-It’s nice but…I’d miss traveling and I’m not…good at staying still.”

Riku let himself smile. Yeah, that sounded fair. Even he wasn’t all that fond of staying still.

“Must be nice,” he said. “Travelling. Seeing new places…All I have for that are old books. And I think I’m beginning to run out of them.”

“Books?” Sora asked, looking towards the one by Riku’s side. He frowned. “Those kinds?”

“The only thing they have at the library,” Riku shrugged, taking it in his hand. “What? You scared of witches?”

Sora laughed.

“You wish!” he exclaimed. “_I_ happen to have seen witches! And they’re nothing like they say in the books.”

Riku dropped the book, eyes filled in with surprise, mouth agape.

“They’re real?” he asked. Sora looked at him with confusion.

“Of course they are, you didn’t know?” he asked. “They run witch hunts in other villages. I thought this one was the same.”

“Witches are just old legends,” Riku replied. The excitement escaped him, looking towards Sora for answers. “But they’re real? Witches? The kind that carve out your heart and feed it to the wolves?”

Sora flinched, jumping back a bit. Then blinked, slowly. And finally, he burst out in a laugh. Loud and clear, an evening sky filled with the undertones of siren’s tail. Precious and magical, contagious in ways he couldn’t describe.

“Is that what the legend says?” Sora asked through huffed out laughs.

Riku looked away, suddenly feeling the embarrassment on his cheeks grow hotter with the minute.

“So, it’s not true?”

“Well…” Sora said, words wandering a bit. “It’s not exactly on point if you ask me.”

“Then, how are they?” Riku asked. “What are they like? Do they have cats like the books say?”

“You’re really curious about them,” Sora noted. “Most people are more interested in stories about dragons and unicorns.”

“What are those?” Riku asked. Sora blinked.

“You _haven’t_ heard of dragons and unicorns?!” Sora asked perplexed. “You know, giant lizards and horses with a magical horn? How about griffins, or werewolves?”

Riku shook his head as slowly as he could. The words swam in his head, muddling and clearing in between confusion. There were more creatures? Unimaginable fantastic creatures, that roamed the edges of Earth?

“They’re the greatest thing ever Riku!” Sora was quick to exclaim. Eyes sparkling, much like Riku’s own were. “Some of them are taller than houses! A-and they breathe fire!”

Sora continued to tell him about all these magical things he had encountered. Each one was more interesting than the last. It created an itch underneath Riku’s skin. The more he heard about it, the more he wanted to see them. Now, what was beyond the forest wasn’t just places. There was a _world_. Full of entirely new things he hadn’t previously thought even existed.

“It’s more than just a world,” Sora exclaimed happily. “There are _worlds_, Riku! If you travel farther up the north, you reach a _village_ that’s covered in ice! A-and by the coast there are mermaids that live underwater!”

They hadn’t noticed the rain slowly dying down outside. In fact, Riku wouldn’t have known at all, if Sora’s frame hadn’t been illuminated in that instant by the sun, blinding the blacksmith. Sora was brimming excitedly with tales of the unknown, entrancing Riku with every word. Not only because of how fascinating everything sounded, but also because Sora was enchanting. Full of a magic that couldn’t be deciphered. A smile that bloomed like magnolias, unable to hide his love for every single thing he had encountered on his many travels.

Riku didn’t want the moment to end.

Perhaps the rain had ended too soon.

* * *

“You really have to go?” Riku asked, staring down at Sora, who was standing outside his door. “I wouldn’t mind if you stayed longer.”

Sora shook his head slightly. He truly didn’t want to leave. In fact, he would give anything to stay longer. Share another meal with Riku and talk about all the magical creatures Sora had seen with the pass of the years. The idea of staying sounded delightful.

_Too_ delightful.

If he stayed longer, then he wouldn’t want to leave. He’d want to stay.

The memory of the torches and the fire echoed in the back of Sora’s mind. If he stayed, they would find out. Sooner or later, they all did. People got scared and turned their backs. Just like they had done last time. He didn’t blame them. Not completely. It was easy to hate what was different. Their own way of defending themselves. He could take it.

What he wouldn’t be able to take, however, would be seeing that hate reflected in teal eyes. Riku suddenly hating him, slipping away. The thought alone had him shivering.

It was better to just leave. Forget this happened. It’d hurt less.

“I told you,” Sora said, trying to retain his cheerfulness as he said goodbye. “I can’t stay still!”

Riku smiled, causing Sora’s heart to burst inside. He felt all weak because Riku’s smile was so _precious_. Kind and sweet, always softly directed at him. It made him feel self-conscious all of a sudden. How could someone be so perfect? If Sora didn’t know better, he’d assume he was also some sort of magical creature that could steal his heart if he wanted.

“Take care, then,” he said.

“Will do,” Sora reassured him.

A sudden thought raced inside Sora’s mind. If this was their last time seeing each other then…

He hugged Riku. A big warm teddy bear hug, hoping it could convey everything he couldn’t say.

“S-sora?!”

“I’ll miss you,” Sora whispered. Under his breath, he cast a small spell. A protective one. He hoped there was no need for him to cast it, but with the smell of witch magic hanging around, he couldn’t be too safe.

Riku’s arms went to wrap around Sora too. They pulled closer, melting in the embrace. It was fluffy all over. Even though Riku’s muscles had seemed too hard to be comfortable, Sora was soon proven _very_ wrong. Riku was warm and soft, big enough to envelop him completely. The smell of the forest clung to his clothes, reminding Sora of all the beautiful things he knew.

“I’ll miss you too,” Riku whispered back. Shocks of electricity ran down Sora’s spine. Body burning, breathing in as deeply as he could.

He wondered if the hug felt as good to Riku as it did to Sora. He didn’t want to let go. Their pieces fit together almost perfectly against the other, and the comfortable feeling had Sora’s eyes closing in pure pleasure. He tightened the grip, using focusing every last bit of energy he had on remembering this. Engraving it in his memory, the beautiful taste of Riku’s hug.

With a long sigh, he pulled away, already missing the touch.

“See you soon,” Sora beamed. His voice came out a bit too happy. A bit too fake. But if Riku noticed, he didn’t give any sign of noticing.

“Take care,” Riku said. A large hand went to ruffle his head. It made Sora feel tiny. Tinier. But protected at the same time. “Try not to die while fighting dragons.”

There was a blush dusted on Sora’s cheeks, and he hoped it could be confused by a sunburn.

“I can take care of myself!” Sora replied with a proud smile. “You’d be surprised by how many asses I’ve kicked!”

“_Really_? I find that hard to believe,” Riku said, voice intermixed with a laugh.

“Really!” Sora exclaimed.

They smiled at each other.

“If I come back,” Sora said. “I’m bringing you a dragon fang. They’re good luck charms.”

Riku tried not to let his mind hang on the _if_ part of Sora’s farewell.

* * *

After Sora was gone, the cabin at the edge of the woods felt bigger. Lonelier. It was hard fighting the urge to take out the other bowl, in vague hopes Sora would be there to share his meal with. And while Riku had discovered worlds in the day that they’d spent together outside the rain, the village stayed the same.

He had to still get up and work. Fix teapots and broken clocks. As if nothing had happened.

But they had.

And for the first time in forever, Riku opened up his old notebook, where the vague instructions for a sword were written.

A _real_ sword.

It was messy and unclear. He’d have to rewrite some parts because, back when he still wanted a sword, his experience as a blacksmith was close to none. Now, however…

That’s how, a couple of weeks later, he manages to have his sword completed. It’s far from a perfect job, but Riku feels proud. The blade is sharp, and the hilt was made of leather. The grip was comfortable enough on his hand, which made for an easy attack.

He practiced on a tree what little he remembered from when he was a kid. Surprisingly, wielding a metal sword was as easy as he remembers wielding a wooden sword being. That probably has to do with him bulking up, due to the strenuous work that being a blacksmith is. Carrying logs was as easy as breathing nowadays.

Technically, he could fight a witch, just like he had convinced himself years ago. There was nothing that tied him down to the village anymore. His mother was gone, he had enough gold saved up to last him a while, and he was strong enough to fend the monsters that lurked in the darkness.

Why then, hadn’t he left yet?

_Cowardice_, his mind supplied.

He gripped the sword’s hilt.

A cry in the distance. Into the forest. Riku snapped out, eyes widening as he recognized the voice.

Sora’s.

Without taking a moment to hesitate, Riku ran towards the forest. Into the forbidden. That which he had been too scared to face for more than two decades.

There was a rumor traveling through the corners of the village. One that perhaps was a childish threat to keep kids out of forests, but it had fascinated Riku for as long as he could remember.

The legend of the witch.

And standing there, was that same legend. But it was nothing like the stories he had heard about.

“Sora!” Riku yelled.

“Riku! Stay back!” Sora cried, dodging the monster that was attacking him. It was a strange being, black all over. Riku wondered what it was. “It’s dangerous!”

Sora’s red cloak floated in the air, mixing in with the hues of color that escaped from his hands. Riku stared as the boy fought, casting spells and unleashing powerful discharges of energy to fend off the monster.

_“You’d be surprised by how many asses I’ve kicked!” _

Well, he was definitely surprised.

And just then, the large beast uses its claws to cut through Sora’s arm. The cry that leaves the little witch, causes Riku’s body to react on instinct. He dashes forward, creating a barrier between the creature, ready to attack once more, and Sora’s wounded self.

“Riku, stop!”

“Run!” Riku said, taking a firm stance with the sword in his hands.

“I’m not leaving you! It’s dangerous!”

He knew. The beast that was growling at him was terrifying. But Sora was injured. He had to get to safety. Riku could distract it enough for Sora to run off.

“The chest,” Sora said, after a while. “The chest is its weak point.”

Riku breathed. Eyes narrowed and launched forward. The sword bent at his will, slicing the creature in half right on the chest. It vanished as soon as it did.

“What was _that_?” Riku asked, turning back to Sora, who was on the ground, gripping his wound. Riku dropped the sword and went to help the witch out.

“A Heartless,” Sora explained, reaching for his pouch. He took an ointment, which he then placed on his wounds. “They’re…mean. They attack anything with a heart.”

“So, everything?” Riku asked.

“Almost,” Sora said with a shrug.

“What are you even doing here?” Riku asked, letting out a sigh. “I thought you’d be by the ice village by now.”

Sora’s cheeks flushed. His hands gripped the strings of his cloak, eyes drifting to the side. His embarrassment made Riku get nervous too.

“I-I was on my way…but I had just crossed the border when this crazy thought came to me-!”

A gush of wind came through, making Sora’s cloak float around. It gave the small boy an ethereal look. Like he was sitting in the middle of a floating garden, cheeks flushed, pretty pink lips moving with Riku barely able to process what he had said.

“What?” he asked. “You…meant it?”

“Yeah,” Sora said, a shy smile on his face. “Travelling alone is lonely…And you seemed really excited about seeing the world-…! I thought maybe…”

“You’d like coming with me?”

“Yes,” Riku replied, without thinking.

“Really?!” Sora asked. “Even if I’m a witch? You still want to come with me?”

“You’re the least scary witch I ever thought finding,” Riku replied, huffing out a laugh. “And now that I think about it, having someone helping you out wouldn’t be a bad idea. Not with how badly you got your _ass_ kicked today.”

“I could have handled it!” Sora replied with a pout.

Riku knew that was probably true. But for some reason, protecting the little witch was a pleasant idea inside his heart. He smiled back and reached for his sword.

* * *

Sora ran across the green field, cloak floating as he laughed in the breeze. Riku stared, walking a few steps back from Sora, as the boy took in every last bit of sunlight and rolled down the field. There were flowers scattered around, blooming as if spring had arrived whenever Sora passed by.

“Riku! Look! We’re almost there!” Sora called, waving his hands from the other side of the field. His excitement was so big the nearby birds were chirping into a song.

Riku let out a laugh, ever more fascinated by the extent of Sora’s natural magic.

“I can see,” he said, watching the big castle that stood before them. They’d heard from the locals that there was a big lantern festival every year. A tradition of sorts. “You sure it’s today?”

“Yes!” Sora replied. He was giving little jumps in his place. Sparkles of purple magic were coming off his palms, like mini fireworks that exploded from his emotions boiling over. “Come on! I’m dying to get there!”

Riku sent his friend a fond look. Sora hadn’t stopped insisting they checked the kingdom out, ever since they heard about it a few villages back. A grin spread through Riku’s face.

“Race you,” he said and dashed.

Sora was perplexed in his place for a second. Then he whined so loud Riku heard him from a few meters away.

“Not fair!”

Riku let out a laugh, suddenly feeling like his heart would burst from so much happiness.

He was finally free, right where he was supposed to be. 

**Author's Note:**

> anyone who guesses what type of soup sora cooks, gets a free cookie. 
> 
> i really wanted to write witch sora, and so i did. i had a lot of fun writing this, and theres still stuff i wanna add. But i think i'll write it...at some other point. bcs i also want to continue starlight memories. And maybe write a fairy sora fic, who knows. 
> 
> maybe i'll update it when i have time. i want to write about them arriving at Corona and having a bit of fun! I also just would like to write abt riku using his sword to protect sora aksjdlkja. 
> 
> Anyway, hope you enjoyed it, and follow me @LoliCoded in twitter if u wanna see me have a breakdown over office's shitty update system.


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